Janine Schokman Director Bright Beginnings Child Care in Queensland
Interview with Janine Schokman Director Bright Beginnings Child Care in Queensland
C4K: What is your full name?
JS: Janine Schokman. But I get called Janey Scholman by the admin girls as people always get my name wrong. The kids call me Jajean or Jean or Nean.
C4K: Which centre do you work in? How many staff and children are in the centre?
JS: Bright Beginnings Child Care we have 101 children per day aged from two weeks to school entry age. No schoolies yay! We have 35 staff and five support workers for children with additional needs.
C4K: What is your professional background and career experience?
I have a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood which I completed 1991 at the Queensland University of Technology.
I have always held the position of Director at Bright Beginnings. Before I started the centre I had a career in retail. I think this has really helped me, especially with public relations (PR) and customer service.
I went to a centre open day at the weekend, they had the balloons up and the rooms were well presented but that was about it. The staff were clustered together in a group and no one was out greeting the families and the children.
There were no smiles, no tours, no handbooks being given out. In my opinion you cannot just rely on your facilities to sell your service; all staff need to be trained in PR, as they use this daily. On arrival a warm smile makes such a difference. Good PR is part of the package at our centre and to me is just as important as toys and programming.
C4K: What attracted you to a career in child care?
JS: I adore children, I love people, I love the sun and I thrive on a challenge and fun.
I finished my degree with a rating one, and there were no jobs. My mother who had always run small businesses suggested a child care centre, as I had the right qualifications and she offered to do the business side. She sold her house and now here we are.
C4K: What does a ‘normal’ day look like for you?
JS: Well I have three children of my own aged seven, five and three so of course I have to try and organise them in the morning.
I call the centre between 7-7.30 to support the open person, usually staff have called in sick by this time, so a little support in organising the day at this time is usually appreciated. Luckily I have an ability to look outside the square which really helps, as having five staff members away on the same day may mean being a little creative.
I arrive at work around 9:00 and help our director Corinne sort out the day, write lists, attend to any dramas and attempt to start my jobs. My role involves a lot of PR and smiles and I have learned that a hug can go a long way.
I am hands on, so I know all children and families by name. I am available any time for a chat and to provide support for my staff, which I believe improves the entire centre culture.
C4K: What makes your centre unique?
JS: I think that having a consistent director and owner for 15 years makes our centre unique. I am a familiar face, who has watched the children grow, and now waves to them in high school.
Consistent management has also helped; the other two directors have been with the service for 12 years. We call it a consistent mum and dad. Many centres change policies and beliefs with every new director. Yet we have worked through our beliefs and now feel we are achieving our very best
C4K: What are some of the advantages of working in the child care sector?
JS: Smiles, hugs, sunshine, being out of an office, having the ability to dress up or kick your shoes off and sit in the sandpit. The diversity of families and staff that I mix with on a daily basis and having the ability to empower individuals to achieve their best. I also love creating magical days for our children where they feel loved and enhanced and being a familiar supportive face to many isolated faces.
C4K: What are some of the biggest challenges facing the child care sector?
JS: Viability; families can only afford so much and rising costs means child care is too expensive for many families.
Time off or shorter shifts for staff. We all know the positives for staff, but for the children and families this could mean many different carers over a child’s day which is not the optimum.
Greater acknowledgement of the work load we have to get through. We recently had a teacher from the state system join us and she cannot believe how much paper work we are expected to do.
The introduction of the Government’s Child Care Management System was a huge stress and continues to be so. This is tied up with the expectation that centre directors should be business managers when we are trained in programming and play dough.
Encouraging younger staff members to see child care as a career and not just a stepping stone into teaching is also a challenge. As is the fact that more and more children with additional needs are entering child care and there is very little support provided by the Government.
C4K: How has your centre changed to deal with these challenges?
JS: We are lucky enough to have two full time directors, and someone permanently available in administration to help families and staff. This greatly reduces stress levels. We are a close knit team and have been for 12 years so I give my staff little incentives whenever I can, for example Corinne just went to Melbourne for her birthday.
We also offer lots of training, support and understanding, for example flexible shifts for staff members who are also parents.
We have also developed a universal programming style for our staff, as we have noticed and acknowledged that programming is generally the most stressful element of the day.
C4K: How does the industry need to change to adapt to these challenges?
JS: Through increased funding for families, and children with additional needs, at present we receive $15 an hour for five hours a day for a support worker. This doesn't increase even if the child is at the centre for 11 hours a day!
We also need recruitment drives to encourage new staff and a united voice from child carers in the private and community sector.
C4K: What advice would you offer someone thinking about a career or looking for a promotion in child care?
JS: Ensure you love it, you need to love every part or you will not last. Volunteer and spend sometime in a centre to make sure it is for you. Not all centres are the same, so if you are unhappy check out some alternatives. Once you are happy in a service, link in with other local centres for ideas and to meet colleagues in the industry.
I believe we need to unite as a sector as we are so isolated and not honest about our struggles. After 15 years the introduction of the Child Care Management System has opened the door for centres to talk yet when I went in to ask if our local centre needed help with their CCMS, they smiled and said no as If I was a spy. Yet behind the desk was a huge sign saying ‘No receipts at present due to our struggle with CCMS’.
We all need to grow and mature and acknowledge that it is ok to say I struggle, and it is ok to learn new strategies. I live by the motto: "If I do what I have always done, then I will get what I have always complained about."
If you would like to share your CCMS experience with others click on CareforKids Social to add your comment.
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